Mindfulness, Movement, and Exercise

Jenn Pilotti
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Discussions on mindfulness, movement, and exercise jennpilotti.substack.com

  1. A 5-Minute Nervous System Reset (Follow Along — No Equipment)

    3D AGO

    A 5-Minute Nervous System Reset (Follow Along — No Equipment)

    When you’re feeling scattered, tense, or just a little disconnected from your body, the answer isn’t always more effort. Sometimes it’s less — and a different kind of attention. This is a short guided practice you can do anywhere, standing or seated, without any equipment. In about five minutes, we move through heel lifts with sensory awareness, foot circles, a bit of skin-rubbing (which sounds odd and works surprisingly well), a ragdoll release through the shoulders, some figure-eight eye tracking, and a few slow breaths with an image that actually helps you exhale more fully. None of it is dramatic. All of it is doing something specific — waking up proprioception, down-regulating the nervous system, and helping you feel a little more at home in your body. Give yourself the five minutes. Notice how you feel after. Practices like this are at the heart of my upcoming book, Spinal Intelligence. More on that soon. If you found this useful, share it with someone who spends too much time in their head and not enough in their body. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    7 min
  2. Stop Fighting Your Asymmetry — Use It

    MAR 19

    Stop Fighting Your Asymmetry — Use It

    Here’s something most coaches won’t tell you: your body is not symmetrical, and it was never meant to be. You have a dominant side, a preferred direction, a natural rotational bias — and rather than trying to erase it, you can harness it. This week’s video breaks down a simple but underused technique for the Bulgarian split squat: using your inherent asymmetry as a balancing tool instead of fighting it the whole way down. “There is nothing wrong with this. You don’t need to fix it.” First: Which Way Do You Spin? Before you pick up a weight, try this. Stand up, and turn around in a circle. Don’t overthink it — just go. Which direction did you turn? Do it again if you’re not sure. The direction you naturally gravitate toward tells you something important: that’s the way your body is organised. It’s not a flaw. It’s information. Now, Put It to Work The Bulgarian split squat is already a balance challenge. Add a load and that challenge multiplies. Knowing your rotational preference lets you set up your arms and weight placement to work with your body’s pull rather than against it. IF YOU SPIN LEFT NATURALLY When your left foot is forward — your body wants to drift that direction. Counter it: hold the weight in your left hand, reach your right arm out to the side, and let that arm act as your ballast. SWITCH SIDES? SWITCH YOUR STRATEGY With your right foot forward, the weight in your hand now pulls you slightly right — which is fine. Instead of reaching the left arm out, reach it forward. That forward reach keeps you tracking over the right side and prevents a collapse. The Foot Detail That Ties It Together Whichever leg is forward, pay attention to the inside ankle bone and the pinky-side edge of that foot. Lift both — gently — before you descend. This subtle engagement stabilises the entire chain from the foot up, and it makes the arm and weight adjustments above far more effective. Quick Setup Checklist → Turn in a circle. Note your direction. → Grab a medium-ish weight — enough to feel the load. → Natural side forward: weight ipsilateral, opposite arm out. → Non-dominant side forward: weight in hand, same-side arm reaches forward. → Both sides: lift the inside ankle bone and pinky edge of the front foot before descending. Balance issues in this movement are often blamed on hip mobility or core weakness — and those matter — but sometimes the fix is simpler. Your body has a bias. Work with it. Try it this week and leave a comment with what you notice. Does your balance feel steadier on one side than the other? Did the arm adjustment make a difference? I’d love to hear. And if this was useful, sharing it with someone who dreads the Bulgarian split squat is the kindest thing you can do for them. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min
  3. Oblique Knee-to-Elbow Hang: A Core Exercise for Aerial, Yoga & Arm Balancing

    MAR 10

    Oblique Knee-to-Elbow Hang: A Core Exercise for Aerial, Yoga & Arm Balancing

    This follow-up core exercise uses stall bars — but a gym rig, a beam, or even a pole will work just as well. Lying on your back, you’ll actively pull the bar toward your face to create tension, lift your feet, and alternate bringing your knees to each elbow while controlling your hips up and down with intention. We cover both pointed and flexed foot variations so you can feel the difference in how each loads the body. The key is maintaining that active pull and finding your center on the way down — no flopping, no rushing. This one is especially useful if you do any arm balancing, aerial work, pole, yoga, or anything that requires strong torso compression with bent knees. Give it a try and let me know how it feels in the comments. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    2 min
  4. Weighted vs. Bodyweight Squats: Key Differences You Need to Know

    MAR 9

    Weighted vs. Bodyweight Squats: Key Differences You Need to Know

    Ever wonder why squatting with weight feels so different from squatting without it? In this quick tutorial, we break down the biomechanical differences between weighted and bodyweight squats — and why understanding them can make you a better mover overall. When you’re holding a kettlebell, barbell, or any other load, your arms have a job, your path is more defined, and gravity does a lot of the organizing work for you. Take that weight away, and suddenly you have more freedom — and more responsibility. Your arms are free to assist, your spine has more options, and you need to consciously generate the downward force your feet would otherwise feel automatically. We cover: * Why weighted squats naturally constrain and guide your movement * How to use your arms effectively in a bodyweight squat * The role of foot pressure and how to recreate it without load * A simple cue for generating leg tension when squatting without weight Whether you’re programming strength work, mobility practice, or just trying to understand your own body better, knowing these differences will help you squat smarter in any context. Drop any questions or thoughts in the comments below — and if you found this helpful, give it a like and share it with someone who’d benefit! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min
  5. Core Work That Actually Matches How You Move

    MAR 2

    Core Work That Actually Matches How You Move

    Most core exercises are symmetrical and linear — but that’s not how you actually use your body day to day. This short sequence intentionally incorporates offset and rotational movement to help you connect more deeply to your center in a way that translates to real life. You’ll move through two variations of a staggered plank hold, then a rocking sequence on the floor that asks your torso to stay soft while your body finds its edges. The whole thing takes just a few minutes and should leave your center feeling a little more awake — and maybe a little more connected. Want to go deeper on the ideas behind this kind of movement? More in the upcoming book, Spinal Intelligence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min
  6. Hip Circles with a Twist: Adding Isometric Pressure for Better Mobility

    MAR 2

    Hip Circles with a Twist: Adding Isometric Pressure for Better Mobility

    This variation on a classic hip mobility exercise adds an isometric element — pressing your hand against the side of your head — to enhance body awareness and grounding as you move through full knee circles. Try pausing at different points in the circle to really feel each position. A simple but effective upgrade to your movement practice. Interested in the philosophy behind these techniques? Learn more in the upcoming book, Spinal Intelligence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    1 min
  7. Train Your Legs Before the Descent: Two Exercises for Downhill Running and Hiking

    MAR 2

    Train Your Legs Before the Descent: Two Exercises for Downhill Running and Hiking

    If you’ve ever felt your knees screaming on a steep downhill stretch — whether on a trail run or a long hike — you already know that going down is a different animal than going up. It demands a specific kind of strength, coordination, and body awareness that most people never train for directly. Here are two simple exercises to help you build exactly that. Exercise 1: Slant Board Single-Leg Balance For this one, you’ll need a thick board (a sturdy two-by-four or slightly thicker works well — thinner boards bow too much) and a yoga block, preferably cork, to prop one end up and create a downward slope. Stand on the board facing downhill, and here’s the key: lean your torso forward. This matters more than it might seem. If you were running or hiking downhill with your weight back, you’d be putting enormous strain on your knees. This exercise is meant to simulate the real mechanics of descent, so practice the position you actually want to be in. From there, focus on these three alignment cues: * Reach through the pinky edge of your foot so it feels long * Lift the inner ankle bone slightly * Rotate the skin of your calf inward and the skin of your upper thigh outward Once you feel stable, try lifting one foot and lowering it back down. Repeat on both sides. It’s a small movement, but done with intention, it builds the neuromuscular awareness that downhill terrain demands. Exercise 2: Step-Up (Staying Low) This one uses a box or step. Place one foot on top, set up the same foot alignment — pinky edge long, inner ankle bone lifted — and then step up. The critical detail: stay low as you rise. Don’t pop up. Don’t straighten and lock out. Why? Because descending a hill isn’t about standing tall — it’s about staying controlled and moving forward and down. The step-up mimics the coordination pattern you need, even though the movement itself is going upward. Think of it as training your legs to handle load while maintaining a forward-leaning, absorbed position. The Through-Line Both exercises share the same underlying principle: your body position on the descent matters enormously. Leaning back shifts stress onto your joints in all the wrong ways. These drills help you build the habit of staying forward, staying controlled, and trusting your legs to do the work — before the trail asks them to. Give them a try before your next run or hike and see how your legs respond on the way down. Found this useful? Share it with a trail buddy, and drop any questions or feedback in the comments below. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min
  8. The Low Kick-Up Secret Nobody Talks About: Weight Transfer to Your Hands

    FEB 22

    The Low Kick-Up Secret Nobody Talks About: Weight Transfer to Your Hands

    If you’ve been struggling to build up to a low kick-up, this drill might be the missing piece. It starts in a deep squat — feet wide, heels off the ground if needed, get as low as you can. From there, the move is simple in concept but surprisingly rich in body awareness: rotate your entire body to one side, let both heels lift as you pivot, and transfer your weight into your hands before coming back down. The key cue that makes this work? Think about your belly button, your xiphoid process, and your pelvis all rotating together at the same time. This isn’t just a leg thing or a shoulder thing — it’s a full-body rotation that teaches you how to shift load fluidly between your feet and your hands. Do it on both sides. Go slow at first, then let it get more fluid as you find the pattern. You’ll quickly discover which side feels more natural — and which one needs more love. This is a great entry point for anyone working toward ground-based movement, capoeira, or just developing better body control close to the floor. Give it a try and see what you notice. Want more movement breakdowns like this? Visit https://www.jennpilotti.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe

    1 min
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